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EJ&E - Illinois River Bridge (1895)

Grundy County, Illinois

Photos 

Old EJ&E Bridge 552 near Dresden

EJ&E refers to this area as Divine

Eric Berg photo/uploaded by Steve Conro

Enlarge

BH Photo #219715

Map 

Description 

Built in 1895 by the EJ&E railroad which was bought out by the CN in 2008. The EJ&E bridge has the distinction of being the most accident-prone bridge in the United States. It was struck by navigation traffic 170 times between 1992 and 2001. The problem is that the lift span is very narrow, allowing for 120 feet of clearance. The dam just upstream creates a fast current. A tow that is 3 barges wide just barely fits through the bridge. This bridge is currently being replaced (11/07/11) with a wider span for safer navigation. A very accommodating construction site gate guard let us sneak in and get few pics. Will update with better pics once the site clears.

Facts 

Overview
Warren through truss bridge with center lift span over Illinois River on EJ&E RW
Location
Grundy County, Illinois
Status
Open, original 1895 bridge replaced in 2011
History
4 span through truss Vertical lift bridge
Builder
- Edge Moor Bridge Works of Wilmington, Delaware (original bridge)
Railroads
- Canadian National Railway (CN)
- Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway (EJE)
Design
Warren through truss
Dimensions
Total length: 800.0 ft.
Also called
EJ&E Bridge 552
Divine Bridge
EJ&E Illinois River Bridge
Approximate latitude, longitude
+41.39516, -88.29736   (decimal degrees)
41°23'43" N, 88°17'50" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
16/391543/4583437 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Minooka
Land survey
T. 34 N., R. 8 E., Sec. 27
Inventory number
BH 41929 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

19th Century (7,706)
Beam (15,981)
Built 1895 (281)
Built during 1890s (3,021)
Canadian National Railway (524)
Edge Moor Bridge Works (69)
Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway (44)
Grundy County, Illinois (39)
Illinois (4,758)
Illinois River (59)
Lost (25,531)
Lost 2011 (504)
Lost during 2010s (3,389)
 Movable (3,021)
Navigable waterway (2,164)
Owned by railroad (12,669)
Railroad (15,794)
Replaced by new bridge (17,221)
Through truss (15,354)
Timber stringer (4,091)
Total length 500-1000 feet (2,892)
Tower Drive Vertical Lift (64)
Truss (33,257)
Vertical lift (421)
Warren through truss (1,629)
Warren truss (6,656)

Update Log 

  • July 5, 2019: New photo from Geoff Hubbs
  • November 29, 2016: New photo from Douglas Butler
  • November 6, 2011: Updated by Steve Conro: added photos and some history. Bridge replaced.
  • March 29, 2009: Added by Kim Harvey

Related Bridges 

Sources 

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Comments 

EJ&E - Illinois River Bridge
Posted July 5, 2019, by John Marvig

It looks to me like a lift mechanism was added to this bridge in the 1930s on top of the existing 1890s span.